Found in the Rain
by privatedonut
Summary: A story about a girl named Raven (OC) who meets Cloud for the second time at a party. Rain is falling outside so they decide to go for a stroll and things progress from there. It's slightly AU in the fact that I added a few things. Review please!
1. Meeting Again

Disclaimer: I don't own any of FF7 or the characters, only my own original ones   
  
A/N: This story was written based on a conversation I had with DarRay online so he gets some credit for this! I agree, it's a bit odd, but it made a story! So because of this, it's slightly AU, although everyone's basically the same as they were in the game. I've just added a few different things and it's not based during any specific time before or after Meteor.  
  
/thoughts/  
  
Chapter 1-Meeting Again  
  
They had talked once before, she and the blonde-haired man. Curiously Raven watched him out of the corner of her eye as the man before her droned on about meaningless topics, trying to hold her attention. The entire party had failed to hold her attention, however, until he showed up. She couldn't even remember his name, but still, he fascinated her.  
  
"So that's when I first—"  
  
She cut Wally off. "Could you please excuse me for a moment?"  
  
"S-sure," Wally, the man that had been talking to her, stammered out nervously.  
  
Stepping away from him into the crowd, she spotted the blonde-haired man sitting alone in a dark corner of the room, watching her. Controlling the blush that was trying its best to spread across her cheeks for reasons she could not explain, she made a path through the many drunk and dancing people.  
  
"Hello once again," she said calmly as she sat in the chair next to him.  
  
"Hello," he simple replied. This threw her off a bit, making her wonder if he didn't want any company. But then she remembered their last short conversation. He was a very reserved person and didn't talk much anyway. Mentally sighing, she tried again.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember your name, although I know we've met before."  
  
He looked up at her for a brief moment and then moved his eyes back to the crowd, taking a short while to reply, as though he were contemplating whether he should answer or not.  
  
"Cloud. My name is Cloud. And yours would be Raven if I remember correctly?"  
  
She glanced away from him, a bit embarrassed that she forgot his name while he remembered hers, but of course, she would never let him know that.  
  
"Yes, my name is Raven. How have you been since we last talked?"  
  
/Why is this so awkward?! I feel like I can't even say one sentence to him without feeling like a complete fool./  
  
"I've been alright I guess. And you?" He said this as though he were reciting lines from a boring text book. She growled mentally and decided to just go with it.  
  
"I've been alright too I suppose," she replied in the same tone. Suddenly thunder boomed outside, making everyone in the group jump with the exception of Raven and Cloud.  
  
"Well, if you'll excuse me..." he trailed off and stood, making his way for the door. Raven stood quickly and followed him.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked, trying to sound uninterested but failing. He turned just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I'm going outside to stand in the rain," Cloud replied, sounding almost as if it were obvious. After this remark, he continued to walk towards the door. Raven still followed him, unable to stop herself.  
  
"I'm coming with you then; I love the rain," she said to his back, a hint of a smile gracing her beautiful but normally somber face.  
  
"As you wish," he said unconcernedly. He opened the front door of the two- story house and strode off, heading for the forested park nearby. Silently she followed him, feeling that saying something now would just annoy him. As they reached the grass, he stumbled a bit, like he was hurting somewhere.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, a bit concerned although not showing any of her emotions.  
  
"I'm fine," he mumbled and wiped his hand across his cheek, leaving a smudge of blood. Her eyes widened just the tiniest fraction.  
  
"Fine, huh? Where did the blood come from then?" Slowly she walked over to him and wiped the blood from his face. Looking down, she noticed that his clothes were torn and bloody in several places, revealing semi-healed gashes beneath.  
  
/Wow, what happened to him? How could I not have noticed this before?/  
  
"Yes, I said I'm fine so I am. I was just attacked by some demon hunters on my way home from the store earlier today. It's nothing. See, I'm already beginning to heal myself." He turned away from her and began walking again, almost as though he were angry that she cared enough to question it.  
  
Raven continued to follow him, still not knowing why. He seemed nice enough when they had talked before, he was just so defensive and suspicious about everything. For some reason, she was intrigued by him. It was something about the way his glowing, ice blue eyes studied every detail of the world so carefully, the way his muscles rippled under his clothing when he moved, the way his voice made the ice in her heart melt....  
  
/NO, NO, NO!!! I will NOT start thinking like that now. It'll only make things even weirder. Besides, I have Tyru..../  
  
"But wait, I thought you told me last time we talked that you're not fully a demon, so why are they still chasing you?" Raven voiced her question as they continued to walk over the neatly trimmed grass, heading for the trees. The rain fell heavily, already having them both soaked to the skin by now, but neither cared in the least.  
  
"Why don't you ask one of them why they hunt me," he said bitterly. Sighing mentally and cursing those who chased them, Raven studied Clouds movements as he calmed himself and continued walking, this time more slowly.  
  
As they reached the edge of the forest, Raven stopped, looking up into the falling rain. Her lips curved into a small smile as she closed her eyes and let the rain beat down on her already wet cheeks. Cloud noticed and stopped as well, watching her curiously, but his eyes betrayed nothing of the emotion he was feeling within. Suddenly, Raven opened her eyes and the smile slipped away.  
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I just love the rain. It's one thing that brings me true happiness in this dismal world. The drops just seem to wash away all the impurities that evil has rooted in the soil...." She trailed off, realizing that she was beginning to babble. She hated babbling.  
  
"It's no problem, I also love the rain," he said without emotion. But then, a half smile appeared on his perfect face and he stepped towards her, reaching out to brush aside a strand of wet her from her face.  
  
/Why did he have to do that?! Why did he have to do that?!/  
  
/You wanted it anyway, you know you did. You don't care about Tyru, do you?/  
  
/Of course I do! Why would I be living with him if I didn't? At least I think I do.../  
  
A/N: Sorry if this seems like a weird place to stop, I've been trying to figure out how to best separate the chapters and this seemed like the best I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Please review since this is my first multi-chapter story! 


	2. Soaring Clouds

A/N: Ok, so here's chapter 2! It picks up right where the other left off. I think I may be doing that with most of the chapters except for maybe one or two so I hope you don't mind too much   
  
Chapter 2- Soaring Clouds  
  
Raven was quickly jerked from her thoughts when she realized that Cloud was staring at her. She blushed slightly and looked up at him, meeting his surprisingly soft, blue eyes.  
  
"May I ask what was troubling your mind just now?" he questioned politely, seeming genuinely interested in her thoughts. Surprise and curiosity as to why he would care flooded her mind, as well as a sudden fear because she could never tell him what she had really been thinking.  
  
"Well, I was just thinking that those horrible demon hunters should leave you alone...." She trailed off lamely, feeling her cheeks burn in the cold, rainy weather.  
  
"I suppose if I hid my wings it would make them leave me alone a lot more," he replied, not noticing her nervous reply, or pretending not to notice. Raven silently thanked him for it, and studied what she could see of his wings for a moment. Silky black feathers cascaded over a strong but fragile-looking bone structure. The large feathers repelled the falling rain, causing a continuous stream of water to run from his back. To her, his giant wings were stunningly beautiful, and she longed to touch one. Of course, she would never be able to do that, so she restrained herself and looked into the sky again.  
  
"I wish I had wings, even if it did make people hunt me. I've always wished I could fly." A wistful expression formed on her face as the rain drops fell like tears on it. Silently she closed her eyes, tilting her head back down and sighing a little. None of this escaped Cloud's observant gaze as he watched her motionlessly.  
  
"Would you like to go for a ride?" he suddenly asked, seeming to have a hint of hope in his otherwise steady voice. Raven's eyes snapped open as she looked at him, a bit shocked at the offer.  
  
/Well, looks like I'll be able to touch those wings after all. That means I'll also be able to touch him.../  
  
"That would be wonderful!" she replied, not able to hide the excitement and joy that the idea gave her. Cloud's face broke into a small smile, the first real one she had seen from him, and gracefully stretched his longs wings to their full extent. They were even more beautiful open than they had been closed, Raven noticed. The glossy feathers fell elegantly into place, not one out of order.  
  
"Well then, get on my back," Cloud said, turning around for her. Raven smiled fully now that he could not see her face and gently climbed onto his back, being careful for his feathers. They were extremely soft to the touch and gave her butterflies in her stomach for reasons she didn't even know.  
  
"Are you holding on tightly?" he asked over his shoulder, tensing for take- off.  
  
"Yes, I am," Raven quickly replied, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly but loosely enough that she wasn't choking him. Being so close to his warm body made her blush, although she tried her hardest to stop it.  
  
/I'm liking this way too much, I'm not supposed to enjoy him, just the flight! But there's just something about him...I can't explain it.../  
  
Cloud crouched down and pushed off the ground, flapping his magnificent wings at the same time, causing them to rise into the air with incredible speed. He began to fly in small circles for a moment, looking over his should so he could just see her out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Where would you like to go?" he asked, seeming not to care. "Oh, and please try not to pull out any of my feathers." Raven gave him a quick nod and contemplated where to go for a moment.  
  
"Anywhere is fine with me, just flying is enough. And you don't have to worry about your feathers, every last one will be there and in it's right place. I'm a cautious person." Raven grinned quickly and then let it slide away, looking off into the distance over the horizon. "And by the way, thank you for this. It's really nice of you."  
  
"It's no trouble really," he replied and began flying over the forest. Raven peered down through the still pouring rain onto the multitudes of tree-tops below. The rich, green leaves created a carpet beneath them, seeming to cut them off from the ground world. Suddenly a clearing rushed into view below them and Cloud began circling over this. He dived down, spinning while gaining speed and then pulled back up just before they brushed the tops branches of the trees.  
  
"The rain isn't making you too cold, is it?" he inquired softly, beginning to circle the clearing again.  
  
"Not at all!" Raven replied, sounding as though it was absurd to think it could be. In truth, being soaking wet for so long had begun to make her go numb, but she was having too much fun to care, and didn't want Cloud to make her leave because she couldn't handle something so little as rain.  
  
Cloud chuckled a little, spinning into another dive, headed towards the clearing again. Raven tightened her arms around him despite herself, and a huge smile broke onto her face as and adrenaline rush overtook her.  
  
Suddenly, at the bottom of the dive, Cloud landed on a sturdy tree branch with perfect balance.  
  
"S-sorry for such a short ride," he stammered out. "I'm not used to so much of a workout." Something about the way he said it told Raven it wasn't true, along with the fact that he was in such good physical shape, but she decided to let it go for the moment.  
  
"It's no problem at all," Raven replied. "Would you like me to get off now?" She began to loosen her grip reluctantly, although her motions only betrayed confidence and indifference.  
  
"S-sure," was his shaky reply. She climbed nimbly off his muscular back and looked at him with concern.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked nervously. Cloud had never showed any weakness in his voice, indicating to Raven that something must surely be wrong here.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." As soon as the words left his mouth, he passed out, falling from the fairly high tree branch to the ground below. As Raven regained her own balance after trying to catch him, she heard a sickening crack as Cloud's head struck a rock on the forest floor.  
  
A/N: This seemed like another semi-good place to stop the chapter. I hope you're all enjoying it so far It seems like it could be a little boring, so give plenty of reviews with helpful suggestions please! Be nice with flames though. 


	3. Things Unexpected

A/N: Again, it picks up right where the other left off. Review and let me know if that bothers anyone...  
  
Chapter 3- Things Unexpected  
  
Raven immediately jumped down the branches of the tall tree until her feet landed soundly on the ground besides Cloud's still form. A large, deep gash just above his eye trickled blood down the side of his beautiful face. She pulled him up so he was leaning against her, his blonde hair tickling her chin.  
  
"Ah, what do I do now?!" she asked frustrated to no one in particular. Quickly she ripped a strip of cloth from her pant leg as her short black tube top would not be sufficient. Wrapping the piece tightly around his head over the gash, she prayed to some unknown being that he would just wake up and smile at her, showing that he was alright.  
  
They sat there in that same position for what seemed like hours to Raven, but in reality it was only about ten minutes. Raven looked up into the canopy of the trees, trying to hold back the tears of frustration and helplessness that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.  
  
/Why am I being so weak? I NEVER cry about ANYTHING! Why does he have such a strong effect on me?/  
  
She blinked several times before she got her emotions under control and finally looked back down at the man cradled in her arms to see that he was peering up at her through his unhurt eye. Startled, Raven opened her mouth to say something, but he spoke first.  
  
"D-don't worry. I'll be fine, really, I will," he forced out, wincing as he did so. Raven closed her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief. Opening her eyes once more, she looked at him as he grimaced in pain.  
  
"No, you're not fine now," she said to his panting form. "Where can I take you that's nearby to get some help?"  
  
Cloud winced again as he thought for a moment. "The clearing we were flying over earlier. That's where I live. W-we can go there and rest inside," he informed Raven. Surprise etched itself onto her worried face, but she saved her questions for later. Slowly, she stood, being sure not to let his head fall, and began to half carry, half drag him in the direction of the clearing. He was fairly heavy, and his boots and large jacket continually caught on the small undergrowth of the forest, but she toiled on.  
  
Raven cursed as Cloud's pant leg caught on a bush for the fifth time. She freed him and continued on, but Cloud weakly began to struggle against her efforts.  
  
"I will be alright," he protested, not strong enough to release himself from her hold. She shook her head again and continues against his struggles, almost at the clearing.  
  
"You need help, so please, just accept mine." Cloud's form went limp at this and he gave up his protest with a small sigh.  
  
"Why do I need help?" he asked, seemingly to no one in particular, but Raven, rolling her eyes slightly, answered anyway.  
  
"Ok, you passed out, smashed your face on a rock, and didn't even have enough strength to get away from me. Why do you NOT need help?" she asked him in reply. They reached the clearing soon after this, Raven gently laid him down next to a small, clear pond in the middle of it. She studied the clearing, taking in the scene of large, strong trees fencing in the pond and a grassy carpet where they now resided.  
  
"It's just because I've never had help before," Cloud mumbled, making Raven look back at him. As she did so, she noticed blood beginning to sep through his shirt.  
  
/My gosh, what's wrong now? He's just a mess today, isn't he? Oh well, I'm going to do everything I can to help him, even if it means I won't be going home to Tyru tonight.../  
  
"Well now you do," she replied softly and gently removed his shirt to see where this new bleeding was coming from. The gashes that she had seen earlier when they first started their walk were reopened and bleeding freely.  
  
"I will be..." Cloud passed out from blood loss before he could finish his sentence.  
  
"No, no, no! Stay with me Cloud!" Raven immediately tied his already bloody shirt tight around his torso, trying to stop whatever she could. She began to cradle him again as the tears came back to her eyes. "I wish I had something to heal you with so you could just wake up and be ok."  
  
Cloud remained motionless, hardly even breathing. This time, Raven couldn't help the tear that trickled down her already wet face. The rain continued to fall down on them, there being no more trees to shelter them. She sat there silence, not knowing what else to do.  
  
/He can't die, I won't let him die! I...feel something for him. I don't know what I would do if he never woke up./  
  
Suddenly Cloud began to twitch a little and then opened his eyes. Raven quickly wiped away the few other tears that had managed to escape her and looked down at him. He began to try and get up, pulling away from her soft embrace.  
  
"Damn, they must have used some poison this time to stop me form healing," he said as he grunted in his efforts to stand. "No, don't get up," Raven said softly but firmly as she gently pulled him back down. "What else can I get you that will help? And I will be getting it, you won't be getting it yourself."  
  
"I-Idon't know" he breathed out, relaxing against her slender form in defeat. They sat there in complete silence besides the rain, the only occasional sound being that of Cloud's heavy breathing or distant thunder.  
  
"I-I hope the blood doesn't stain your clothes," Cloud suddenly blurted out, looking up at her with his good eye. Raven glanced back down at him, surprised but strangely pleased that he seemed to scare about her. In truth, her clothes were ruined beyond repair. Mud and blood covered everything, turning the once perfect black into a mucky brownish mess. A strip of her pant leg was now around Cloud's head, and other holes had been torn by the undergrowth as she had dragged him to the clearing.  
  
A grim half-smile formed on her face at his concern, and she began to stroke his wet, but still amazingly spiky, blonde hair, trying to offer him some sort of comfort.  
  
"It couldn't matter less what happens to my clothes," she replied after a moment. "But wow, you're worrying about my clothes when you're wounded with badly."  
  
She shook her head, still stoking his surprisingly soft hair. Taking a minute to look him over, she noted the damage done to his body. His strong muscles were tense with pain and the attempts to heal himself against the poison coursing through his veins. His large combat boots were partially covered by loose, once black pants, and his now blood-soaked shirt was tied around his well-toned torso. Black gloves adorned his clenched hands as they lay at his sides, and a black scarf was tied loosely around his neck. Over all, he was extremely handsome, Raven noticed not for the first time. Even in his state, there were few men who could match his looks.  
  
/Stop it! There you go again, thinking about him that way. You used to think the same thing about Tyru. You used to love Tryu./  
  
/I still love Tyru, I just can't help but also be attracted to Cloud. He's so kind, but so mysterious and distant at the same time. I want to solve the mystery, I want to know him.../  
  
Raven was broken from her thoughts at the sound of Cloud's voice.  
  
"I told you I would get better, my body just needs time to fight the poison." She looked down at him, still running her fingers through his blonde hair. A blush had crept into his cheeks as he realized what she was doing, making him look cute and innocent. Raven was strangely oblivious to it and continued what she was doing.  
  
"I hope it's able to soon. Are you feeling any better at all though?" she asked him, still looking down at his red face. "Y-yeah," he stammered, pulling his scarf higher over his face to try and conceal the blush. Raven noticed and stopped stroking his hair, blushing a little herself for getting carried away.  
  
"I-I'm sorry...I'll stop doing that then..." she said, feeling embarrassed that she showed some of her feelings for him.  
  
/Why can I not control myself around him? And why was he blushing so much anyway? Usually nothing can change his stony face./  
  
Suddenly Cloud leaned forward and stood up. "I-I'm all better now," he blurted out, still looking mildly uncomfortable. Raven mentally sighed at the cold she now felt where his warm body had been and stood up after him, looking at him with concern and disbelief.  
  
"Are you sure you're ok this time?" she asked, still looking at him,.  
  
"Y-yeah, I'm all better now, see?" He pulled the cloth off of his head to reveal only a scar where the gash had been. Raven sighed in relief, seeing that he was able to fight off the poison and was now healing himself. Cloud untied is shirt from his torso and just held it in his hand, not bothering to put the bloody thing back on.  
  
"You still don't sound alright though..." Raven trailed off, wanting to believe that he was perfectly fine, but just not sure. He pulled his scarf off as well, holding both garments limply in his left hand.  
  
"I'm fine," he replied as he stared directly into her eyes. "Trust me, I'm fine." Raven stared straight back, melting in the soft blue of his gaze.  
  
"Alright, I guess I'll believe you for now," she said. Not able to hold his piercing gaze any longer, she looked around, realizing that they were still standing in the clearing, both thoroughly soaked from the still pouring rain. Cloud noticed as well and extended one of his beautiful wings over her head, sheltering her from the falling drops.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about me, I'm fine," Raven stammered as she blushed slightly at his concern for her yet again. "But thank you...I think you should worry a little more about yourself, right now, although you're almost healed."  
  
Cloud sneezed suddenly, almost causing Raven to jump, but she still had most of her self control and remained still.  
  
"I told you, I'm fine," he replied, beginning to sound just the tiniest bit annoyed with her constant uncertainty.  
  
"Oh? You're really ok? Why are you sneezing then?" she asked, also sounding a bit annoyed. She then moved right next to him, causing his wing to cover his head as well. He sneezed again, trying his best to stifle it, but to no avail.  
  
"Ok, so maybe I have a small cold, but it's nothing," Cloud replied, trying to sound as though it really were nothing. Raven resisted the urge to roll her beautiful gray eyes.  
  
"Something tells me it's worse than you're letting on. Maybe we should go inside." Having said this, she looked around, realizing that there were no buildings to speak of, although Cloud had said this is where he lived. Raven glanced at the blonde for a moment to see his reaction.  
  
Cloud softly sighed. "The nearest place is my little secret building that I call home," he replied, motioning towards one of the larger trees. "And by the way, you don't need to worry about me so much..." His voice trailed off as a faint hint of a blush crept into his cheeks again.  
  
/Wow, he really is a softy at heart. I can see now that he's just a great actor. And now I understand why I don't see any buildings.../  
  
Raven returned from her thoughts as Cloud walked over to the tree he had pointed out earlier, placing his hand in one of the holes in the side. As he did this, a rectangular steel door appeared next to the hole. He opened this and held it for her to walk in.  
  
Just before she stepped through the doorway, Raven paused and turned to Cloud, smiling just a little. "I can't help but worry about the people that I care for..."  
  
As her face began to turn red, she made her way fully inside and waited for him to join her. After he did and the door was secured behind them, they stood side by side in the dark, cramped room.  
  
"Sorry, this is just the elevator, it's mostly underground," Cloud explained, pushing a button that caused the lift to descend.  
  
/Well, this was unexpected./ Raven had a short while to think as they stood in the elevator, neither making a sound. /It will be interesting, though, that's for sure.../  
  
A/N: Ah, finally! I thought I'd never finish this chapter. It's a lot longer than the other two, hopefully not too long Keep reviewing and I'll try to update it every day or so! 


	4. Spending the Night

A/N: Yay! It's chapter 4 I hope you've all been enjoying the story so far, I've been having fun writing it. But I know this note isn't what you're here to read so I'll just get on with the story now....  
  
Chapter 4- Spending the Night  
  
As the elevator reached the bottom with an echoing thud, the metal doors slid open to reveal Cloud's underground hideout.  
  
"Please don't be afraid, it's kind of messy..." Cloud trailed off as he waited for Raven to step into the main room. As she did so, she took in the new surroundings, hoping to see more of what Cloud was like. An array of training equipment, much like you would see in a gym, aligned the right hand wall. Along the left there was an assortment of computer devices and other machines that she didn't recognize or know the use of. The walls themselves were hard gray steel, giving the room a cold, lonely look to it.  
  
"Are you hungry?" Cloud asked as he followed her, picking up pictures and stuffing them into the drawers of an old desk that was holding one of the computers. He motioned to an open door in the back of the room that Raven assumed was the kitchen.  
  
"I'm not starving," Raven replied shortly, looking at him with curiosity as he completed his task of hiding the photographs.  
  
"Well, if you want anything, feel free to get it out of the fridge, although there's not much in there," Cloud said, brushing some papers off of the only chair in the semi-cluttered room. Raven continued to watch him and then decided to sit in the office chair, her legs were beginning to ache from the strain of dragging him earlier.  
  
"I don't think I'll eat anything at the moment," she politely rejected his offer of food. Cloud just shrugged and continued tidying up a few things. It didn't look as though he had many visitors. As she watched him, she noticed his face begin to turn red under her gaze. He quickly finished what he was doing and came to sit on the concrete floor next to the chair.  
  
"Why are you watching me?" he asked, curiosity and embarrassment evident in his voice.  
  
/Again he seems so uncomfortable. I really don't understand him at all! He used to seem like he didn't feel anything at all and now he's totally different, showing embarrassment and concern and all./  
  
Raven smiled at his show of emotion and replied, "I don't know...because you're interesting to watch I guess." After stating this, she moved out of the chair and sat on the floor next to Cloud.  
  
"Although I'm you're 'guest' here, I don't like special treatment so I'm not going to sit in the chair while you have to be on the floor," Raven said, explaining her actions before he had time to open his mouth about it.  
  
"You really shouldn't worry about it, I haven't used that chair in about three months..." Cloud said as he noticed a forgotten picture of a woman with long, chocolate-brown hair and quickly stuffed it into another desk drawer. "So what do you want to do?"  
  
Raven quirked an eyebrow at the hiding of the picture, but decided it would be best to let it go for now. "Uh...it doesn't really matter to me..."  
  
She noticed a slight look of relief on his face after hearing that she didn't mention the picture, although she was dying to know who the woman was.  
  
"You want to watch some TV?" he asked, seeming as though he wanted to make sure she wasn't bored.  
  
"Sure," Raven replied, smiling a fraction. Cloud turned to the wall opposite of the elevator and hit a few buttons concealed behind a metal plate near the kitchen door. A giant TV replaced the once bare wall, and Cloud grabbed the remote that rested next to it, hitting the "on" button. The black screen flickered to a fuzzy gray as he flipped through the channels, the screen remaining static the whole time.  
  
"Damn, the storm must have knocked out my satellite," he said in response to the buzzing screen. Flipping the television off, Cloud returned to his spot on the floor next to Raven. They sat for a few moments in silence, neither moving nor knowing what to say.  
  
The moments starched on, and Raven began to get cold, still being soaked through from the rain.  
  
/Oh no, I can't start shivering. He's going to think I'm weak. Argh, I have to find some way to hide it.../  
  
As she began to shiver, Raven stood up, acting as though she was going to look around a bit.  
  
"Are you cold?" Cloud asked, fully aware of what she was doing. She blushed a little and gave up, sitting back on the floor beside him.  
  
"Yeah, somewhat," Raven replied, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to stop shaking. Cloud glanced over at her and moved so he was right next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"You want to borrow a shirt or something?" he asked, holding her against him to make her warmer. Raven blushed but was secretly enjoying herself very much.  
  
"I'll be fine. Thank you though," she replied, not wanting to accept anything else because it would mean he would let go of her. Cloud half shrugged and leaned back against the desk behind them, gently pulling Raven with him.  
  
"Are you really sure you don't want anything?," he asked again, looking at her. "I just don't want to getting sick."  
  
"I'm sure," she replied with a nod. "Don't worry, I rarely get sick, thankfully. Thanks for caring though..." She trailed off, smiling at him.  
  
"You're really sure? Because I don't want to lose another friend..." he cut off his sentence, looking at the ground dismally.  
  
"Yes, I'm perfectly fine, you're not going to lose me," she replied. Raven studied his face, happy that he considered her a friend. Suddenly she realized how close they really were, and how handsome his angel-like features were. She began to blush, almost smiling as she looked down at her feet, trying to avoid his gaze.  
  
"May I ask why you're blushing so much?" Cloud inquired softly but with curiosity. Raven's blush deepened and her smile grew, revealing her perfect, white teeth.  
  
"Well...I seem to have just realized how good-looking you really are and...well...I guess...it's just because I'm...becoming attracted to you..." she stammered out, now thoroughly embarrassed with dark red cheeks.  
  
/Why did you just say that to him?! He's not supposed to know that! You're not even supposed to feel that! What are you thinking?!/  
  
Cloud blushed then, pulling his scarf up more over his face in an attempt to hide it as he mumbled, "I-I'm sorry." He looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact just as she was doing. Raven blushed even more, if it was possible, and continued to stare at her feet.  
  
"N-no, it's not your fault..." She sighed and silently wished she hadn't told him now; it made everything awkward, including the fast that his arm was still wrapped around her.  
  
"How is it not my fault?" he asked softly, still looking at the floor. Raven glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Because I'm supposed to be able to control myself...and you can't help the way you are. It's not like you made me attracted to you on purpose..." she trailed off, looking away again. Cloud continued to look at the floor, seeming to be thinking hard about something.  
  
"Maybe I was trying to a little..." he said, looking embarrassed. Raven blushed again, looking and feeling pleased although trying her best not to. "R-really?" was all she could stammer out at his remark.  
  
"Yes...I've been attracted to you for awhile now..." Cloud's voice died away, and he continued to avoid her eyes. Raven almost smiled at his evident discomfort and embarrassment at sharing this with her.  
  
"Well...I must say...I'm not cold anymore..." she said, not knowing exactly what she meant besides that she wasn't cold, although she knew she was trying to tell him something else as well. After saying this, she looked up, straight at his beautiful face, wanting him to meet her eyes. Instead, he blushed and realized that his arm was still around her. He gently pulled it away, apologizing.  
  
"Oh s-sorry," was all he stammered. At that moment, the elevator door opened and the woman with the chocolate-brown hair from the photograph walked into the room, holding a bag of groceries in her arms.  
  
"Cloud I'm—"she stopped short when she noticed Raven sitting against Cloud on the floor. A dark look came over her pretty face as she took in the situation, becoming angry.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Tifa," Cloud stammered, not moving out of complete shock.  
  
"Cloud, I can't trust you, can I?!" she practically screamed, dropping the bag on the ground and putting her hands accusingly on her hips.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Cloud said again, looking at the ground dejectedly.  
  
"I'm afraid it's mostly my fault..." Raven spoke up, not wanting cloud to take the blame for anything. Tifa's eyes narrowed at her, sending silent death threats.  
  
"No, don't try to take the blame, it's completely my fault," Cloud refused to let Raven defend him.  
  
"You know what? It doesn't really matter to me. This is over anyway, Cloud, you and me. I'm done!" she yelled, throwing a golden locket at his feet. "And you can have you're stupid locket back. 'I'll always love you,' that was a lie!"  
  
With that, Tifa scooped up her bag of food and stormed into the elevator, slamming the door behind her. For many minutes the only sound was that of the lift ascending to the ground above and then there was silence.  
  
Raven glanced at Cloud, wondering what to do now. Cloud had a hand over his face with is eyes closed, looking distraught.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, I should go now..." Raven apologized, making to stand.  
  
"No, don't go, please," Cloud stopped her, looking up at her and gently placing a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry that had to happen while you were here...things were over between her and I long ago, I just didn't have the heart to tell her so until now, although I didn't say much."  
  
Raven looked back at him, gazing into the depths of his icy blue eyes that seemed to be so warm right now. They sat that way for a few moments, neither speaking until she became curious about something.  
  
"Why were you sorry earlier, before Tifa came in?" she asked. Cloud blushed a little and looked down.  
  
"Well, when you said you weren't cold anymore, I thought you meant you didn't want my arm around you anymore," he replied, sounding unsure of his decision.  
  
"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't mean that at all..." Raven trailed off, hoping she didn't sound too pathetic.  
  
"Then what did you mean?" Cloud looked up at her, surprised.  
  
"I...don't know really...I guess in some odd way, I was trying to say that I've been attracted to you for awhile too..." she let her voice die, blushing and waiting for his reaction.  
  
"Why?" Cloud asked as he blushed, still looking at her questioningly.  
  
"I don't know why..." She felt stupid, like she shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Cloud seemed to be very uncomfortable with the whole conversation.  
  
/You just had to open your big mouth, didn't you? He'll probably make you leave soon now./  
  
"Strange," he mumbled, wrapping his arm around her again. Raven' eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she was pleased.  
  
Moving closer to him, she softly replied back, "Very strange..."  
  
"I'm not one to complain," he added, smiling just the tiniest fraction. Raven blushed a little and smiled.  
  
"Neither am I...I'll just have some explaining to do to some people..." she trailed off.  
  
/Kyru.../  
  
"To who?" Cloud inquired, seeming interested. Raven sighed, looking down.  
  
"To Kyru..."  
  
Cloud's face fell a little. "Oh yeah, you have a boyfriend..."  
  
Raven nodded, although a bit reluctantly. "I do...but I don't know..." her voice faltered and she sighed, confused, putting her head in her hands.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, I should leave you alone, I ruined your happy relationship," Cloud rushed out, looking extremely embarrassed and slightly unhappy at the same time.  
  
Raven's head shot up as she looked at him. "No, don't say that. You didn't ruin anything."  
  
"Ok..." was all he managed to say.  
  
"Thank you..." Raven said, feeling relieved. She rested her head on his shoulder, unaware that she was doing it as she was in deep thought.  
  
/But he DID ruin your relationship with Kyru./  
  
/No he didn't, I did...and no one ever said it was over yet anyway.../  
  
/You know that it's over, it doesn't need to be said. You never really loved him as much as you thought you did, Cloud just proves that./  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Raven was snapped from her contemplations by Cloud's question.  
  
"Hm, just you, Kyru, all that's happened tonight," she replied, realizing that her head was resting on his shoulder but remaining still.  
  
Cloud sighed. "Yeah, so very much has happened."  
  
"I know," Raven said, yawning as she did so. "I'm sorry, just getting a little tired."  
  
She couldn't see outside, but she knew it was late. They had been together for at least four hours now, maybe more, and the party had been an evening one.  
  
Cloud also yawned then. "So am I," he said, pulling her a bit closer and resting his head lightly on hers. Raven smiled and slowly let her soft gray eyes close.  
  
Before drifting off to sleep, she lifted her head, causing him to lift his as well, and gently kissed his cheek.  
  
"Good night," she whispered, "and thank you for everything."  
  
He blushed and whispered back, "Sweet dreams..."  
  
Raven laid her head back on his shoulder, his retaking it's place on hers, and they silently drifted off to sleep as the rain continued to fall above.  
  
A/N: Ok, ok, I know this turned out to be a Mary Sue, didn't mean for it to be like that in the beginning. If you have any suggestions as to what I can do to fix it, please review and let me know! I really appreciate the reviews that I've gotten so far, they've been helpful. Hopefully I'll get some good advice so I can do a little editing and make the story better for all of you to read 


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